


lucky

by ninwrites



Series: drabble me this [2]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Battle Couple, Drabble, First Meetings, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Meet-Cute, Shadowhunter Magnus Bane, Short & Sweet, Warlock Alec Lightwood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-19
Updated: 2018-12-19
Packaged: 2019-09-22 18:17:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17064722
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ninwrites/pseuds/ninwrites
Summary: 66. “You’re strangely nonchalant for someone who almost died a minute ago.”





	lucky

**Author's Note:**

> something a little short, and a lot of fun 
> 
> \--
> 
> based off the prompt from [this list](https://imagine-the-fluff.tumblr.com/post/153105729638/prompt-list)

Some days, Magnus wishes his Shadowhunter training had a  _switch_ , so he could turn it off when he didn’t want to bother with it. He’s grateful, of course, because the instincts that have been honed within him since birth, basically, have saved his life an innumerable amount of times, and he knows that he, and many others wouldn’t be alive without it.

But he’s twenty-three, too old for heartbreak yet desperate to experience it in its greatest woes, and he  _can’t_ , because there’s a guy on the other end of the bridge being attacked by a Teuthida demon and it’s  _Magnus’_   job to save him, because none of the other Shadowhunters in New York are apparently free.

(He knew he should have of just taken up Catarina’s offer of getting wonderfully intoxicated, but he hadn’t wanted to turn to alcohol for his troubles, venturing instead into the cool November air in the hopes of clearing his head before his heart tore it to smithereens in a misplaced act of revenge.)

He’s being a little dramatic, Magnus admits to himself as he races down the bridge, boots pounding against the stone surface. He wasn’t exactly in love with Camille, can’t say he’s ever really been in love before, but she  _had_  been a significant part of his life for a good year, and his heartache feels a lot like it’s echoing a twisted sense of grief, like in breaking up with her, he’s  _lost_  something.

Magnus isn’t sure what that is, or where he’s supposed to find it again, or even if he has any chance, so it’s probably a good thing that he doesn’t have the time at the moment to worry about it.  

“Hey, Squidward!” Magnus shouts out, activating his  _speed_ ,  _agility_  and  _strength_  runes. “If you wanted to dance, you only had to ask, the moonlight is very romantic at this time of night.”

The Teuthida demon’s glossy, oval eyes flicker towards Magnus, the shimmer of the water below the bridge reflected in the mirror-like coating. Demons aren’t particularly beautiful, being the spawn of hell doesn’t tend to lend itself nicely to appearances, but Teuthida demons are slick and wet, with heavy fringed tentacles that whip around like a spinning fan and haul them forward with a speed that would make a trained sprinter jealous, and perfect circles for mouths ringed with sharp, gleaming pearly white teeth, a contrast with their oily black appendages.

It makes a strangled, garbling sound, one tentacle slapping onto the ground, squirming towards Magnus as he races down the bridge. Maybe it doesn’t like being called Squidward – maybe it’s not too fond of the glowing  _Keris_  blades in Magnus’ hands.

(He prefers their shape and the balanced lightness as opposed to the heavy, dragging weight of the standard Seraph blades. He’d trained with the Seraph blades, but discarded them as soon as he was old enough to choose his own weapon. He’s fond of the bo staff, but it tends to not the best option in a situation like this. He needs to disarm first, and fast, before he finds himself flung over the bridge – or strangled with those slimy tentacles.)

“Look, I kind of had plans tonight,” Magnus explains, even though it’s a  _complete_  lie. “So if you can just hurry up and let me send you back to the demonic depths from whence you came, it would be great,  _thanks_.”

The demon garbles again – Magnus doesn’t remember reading much about it in his demonology textbook, but he has a sinking feeling that they can survive pretty well out of the water, which doesn’t bode well for his already quite limited options.

He decides to just hack at the tentacles closest to him first, aware that it will make the demon angry but not really finding any other options at present – he’s agile, and lean, he’ll be able to dance around it well enough, it’s just how to get rid of it entirely that is still stumping him a little.

It turns out, he needn’t worry.

He manages to sever the ends off, ducking and weaving away from the flailing appendages, to avoid being thrown into the rushing waves below, and is just about to formulate a half-assed, somewhat suicidal plan with only the supposed angel Raziel and the dumb luck that’s kept him alive so far behind him – when the entire slick, squidlike thing goes up in sparkly gold flames, leaving behind a splatter of ichor that spots his skin and the bridge around him like ink; suspiciously, the man opposite him is perfectly clean.

“Hi,” Magnus waves, grinning despite the demon splattered on him. “Beautiful night, isn’t it?”

The man’s hands are glowing a faint, shimmering sky-blue, his eyes a pupil-less, brilliant cobalt before a glamour slips into place, masking them a forest-like hazel. His hair is in disarray, his clothes something that would better suit a college student than a warlock; frayed black jeans with holes at the knees, a faded grey shirt underneath a rumpled raincoat, and what Magnus can only assume are skater’s shoes.

He’s the prettiest person Magnus has ever met, and not even the furrowed brow and  _‘are you insane?’_ look he throws Magnus’ way can dampen that.

“You’re strangely nonchalant for someone who almost died a minute ago.” The warlock replies, crossing his arms over his chest. Sparks of gold and blue dance across his forearms, as though his magic is still active after the demonic take-down – which was very impressive, Magnus isn’t ashamed to admit.

“I’m a Shadowhunter.” Magnus shrugs, collapsing his blades and strapping them back into the bands around his wrists. “I face death every day.”

He doesn’t mention that his step-father, a mundane, had tried to kill him out of spite and anger – and an unhealthy dose of alcohol – after finding out that Magnus wasn’t his son. It’s not really the kind of thing you say off-handed to a stranger who technically saved your life. Another time, perhaps.

Like over dinner. Or brunch. Magnus isn’t fussy.

“If I hadn’t seen the runes, I could have guessed that much from the way you threw yourself at a demon three times your size, seemingly with no care to your own well-being.” The warlock grumbles, but there’s a tiny, almost unnoticeable smile threatening his composure.

“I’ve always been one to jump first, ask questions later.” Magnus admits. “Let me properly introduce myself. I’m Magnus Bane - I’d offer you my hand, but I’m a little inked up at the moment.”

“Alec.” The warlock –  _Alec, short for Alexander maybe?_  – stares for a moment, before almost begrudgingly waving his hand, sparks falling to the ground like glitter. The leftover ichor disappears, as though it had never been there in the first place.

“Thank you,” Magnus says, voice softer now, awestruck at the warmth that covers his skin where the ichor once did. “I promise, I wasn’t expecting that.”

Alec nods, that tiny smile growing, tugging at the corner of his mouth. It’s a nice smile. “I know. You’re not like any other Shadowhunter I’ve met, I can tell that much already. I did it because I wanted to, not because I was under any presumed expectation. Demon ichor isn’t exactly pleasant.”

Magnus scrunches his nose up. “No. Not at all.”

“I should,” Alec rakes a hand through his already disheveled hair. “I should go. You’ve got things to get to…”

Magnus shakes his head, a little too quick to be easily brushed off. “I don’t – I don’t, have any … I was just taking a walk, to clear my head.”

Alec frowns, and Magnus takes a step forward, almost without realising it. There’s something electric about Alec, something deeper than just his magic – Magnus isn’t one to put much stock in fate, he prefers to take the idea of destiny into his own hands, to mold his future as he sees fit, but even he can’t deny that the consequence of events line up a little too well to be purely coincidental.

“You told the Teuthida demon that you had plans.” Alec’s cheeks are a delicate pink, stray sparks bouncing off his fingertips. Magnus hasn’t met that many warlocks, but he can’t help but wonder if there’s something nervous to the way Alec’s magic is still manifesting.

“I was just trying to get it’s attention.” Magnus admits. “I mean no offence, but I was under the impression that you were a mundane – my focus was on distracting it, so that you could get to safety.”

“And after it had it’s sights set on you?” Alec smirks, just slightly, eyebrows raised towards his hairline. “What then?”

Magnus shrugs, feeling a low heat crawling up his neck. He’s always been considered a little reckless, but he has the training and the skills to back himself up – and, usually, a few other Shadowhunters to support him.

“I’ll admit, I hadn’t thought that far.” Magnus runs his thumb over the winged cuff at the curve of his ear. “Guess I’m just lucky that you were here.”

Alec grins, but there’s a shyness that makes Magnus’ heart skip a beat. “I could say the same.”

Magnus glances to the side, where the moonlight is skimming across the waves and possibilities are left out in the open. “Forgive me if this too forward, but is it a stretch to hope that you might not have any plans tonight, either?”

A gold spark lands on Magnus’ cheek, warmth radiating under his skin. Alec hurriedly shakes his head, his eyes a little wider than usual. “I don’t. I was – getting some air. Like yourself.”

Magnus takes another step forward, catching the split-second where Alec’s glamour drops, revealing the cobalt of his warlock mark, before the hazel is quickly brought back in place. It’s beautiful –  _he’s_ beautiful.

“There’s a really good 24-hour coffee shop just down the street, I’d love to have your company? If you’re interested.” Magnus’ heart stutters, and there’s a sick ache in his lower gut – it’s ridiculous, he’s only asking Alec for coffee, there’s no strings attached to this question and yet he finds himself anxious to hear the answer.

“I like coffee.” Alec glances up at Magnus through his eyelashes.

“What a coincidence,” Magnus offers his arm, his elbow crooked. “I happen to survive off it.”

Alec laughs, a soft, joyous sound, and wraps his hand around Magnus’ elbow. “I’m surprised you Shadowhunters don’t just make a rune for it.”

Magnus chuckles softly, falling into step with Alec. “I’m sure that there are some who’d prefer it, but I personally would rather a good steaming cup over something that burns a temporary tattoo into my skin. Perhaps that’s just me.”

“I’ve never understood Shadowhunters.” Alec admits. “Got to a point a long time ago where I stopped trying to.”

“Well,” Magnus covers Alec’s hand against his elbow with his own. “I hope that I’m worth your time, and the chance to be understood.”

Alec smiles, tiny and coy. “I have a good feeling that you are – and if nothing else, time has taught me to trust my instincts, which speak quite highly of you, already.”

Magnus’ own instincts are swooning, which he thinks speaks for itself. There’s a bit of misplaced irony, in his meeting Alec through a demon encounter, but he’s a little too enrapt in the man by his side to be anything more than grateful for the circumstances.

**Author's Note:**

> links - for those interested:
> 
> twitter: [ninwrites](https://mobile.twitter.com/ninwrites) for fic stuff/updates/snippets + [biconicbarnes](https://mobile.twitter.com/biconicbarnes) for general fandom mess + small threads  
>   
> tumblr: [here](https://ninwrites.tumblr.com/)  
>   
> (and while you're there check out the [shfanficnexus](https://shfanficnexus.tumblr.com/), a collection of work by wonderfully talented and lovely writers <3 )  
> thank you for reading!
> 
> \- Nin ❤


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